Illuminating and advertising device for showcases



June 20, 1939. J PUTNAM Er AL 2,163,562

mwmmrme AND ADVERTISING nnvzca ron SHOWCASES Filed Nov. 12, 19558 C haaw/fjaw W v m Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES ILLUMINATIN G ANDADVERTISING DEVICE FOR SHOWCASES John T. Putnam and Edward G. Shure,Chicago, 111.; said Shure assignor to J. Howard Seymour,

Wayne, Ill.

Application November 12, 1938, Serial No. 240,098

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to an illuminating and advertising device for ashow case or the like and more particularly to novel means for placingadvertising in a show case'and means for illuminating the show case andadvertising matter.

In the past, it has not been possible to properly illuminate show casescontaining cigars, meats, and other products which are subject tospoilage by heat, in Or close to the case. Such show cases have beenilluminated by a light source placed a distance from the case, which hasbeen further dissipated or weakened by passing through the glass of thecase.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a source of coldlight which may be placed in the show cases. By a cold light we mean onewhich will not give off a suiiicient amount of heat to spoil thearticles in the show case. For example, it will not dry out tobaccoproducts or raise the temperature of meat or other food productsappreciably.

The usual filament bulbs can not be usedin show cases for suchmaterials, because of the heat developed thereby and are undesirablebecause they do not give even distribution of light to the entire showcase. The gaseous luminous tubes previously on the market, although theydo not give off sufiicient heat to damage the goods, are, nevertheless,not usable because they emit a colored light which does not display thegoods in their true colors. Recently gaseous tubes containingcombinations of argon, neon or helium gas, mercury and a fluorescentpowder in a glass tube, have been put on the market. These tubes producea white or daylight white illumination and we have found that theydisplay goods in a show case without distorting their colors and throwofi a comparatively small amount of heat so as not to damage the goods.Furthermore, such a light consumes far lower wattage than the presentfilament bulbs. As it is possible to put this tube in the case, there isno dissipation of the light caused by penetration of the panes of glass.The tubes we have described have a much longer life than the filamentbulbs. Another advantage is that the reflector may be made of cheapermaterial in that it is not necessary to employ a reflector made of heatresisting material.

It is a further object to provide a novel reflector bracket 'or the likefor our light source and in which may be inserted advertisements ofvarious products, the light source serving to illuminate theadvertisements in addition to the case. The tube is placed in areflector, which is either triangular or arcuate, or other shape,suitable for the purpose, in the upper top corner of the show case. Ourinvention includes the cutting out of various portions of either the topand/or side of this reflector and inserting into these cut-out portions,advertisements of various products, the light from the tube shiningthrough the cut-out portions and illuminating the advertisements soas toattract the eye of the purchaser of the goods in the show case. Thecut-out portion may be filled with a glass or other transparent ortranslucent material covered with a silk screen, lithographic print,decalcomania or the like, bearing the advertisement.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity,efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such furtherobjects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear andare inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination andarrangements of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and whilewe have shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understoodthat the same is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehendsother details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a show case equipped with our novelilluminating and advertising device and with certain parts broken awayto more clearly show certain features.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical cross section takenon the lines 2-'2' of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of our novel bracket withcertain parts broken away. g,

Referring more particularly to the embodiment shown in the drawing, theshow case is shown at I, having base 2 of wood, metal, stone or othersuitable material, and merchandising display portion 3, the top, frontand sides of which are usually of glass with the customary sliding doors(not shown) in the back. In the front top corner of the show case islocated our novel bracket 4 which, as shown, is substantially triangularin cross section and affixed to the glass top and front of the show caseby suitable adhesive 5 or by screws, brackets or the like. In one cornerof the show case, is metal tube or conduit 6, housing wires 1 and l forconnecting the illuminating tube 8 with a transformer 9 in the base ofthe show case. This ransformer is connected to a suitable electricalsource (not shown). This tube 8 contains a suitable mixture of argon,neon or helium gas with mercury and a fluorescent powder to give off awhite cold light when the electrical current is switched on. We havefound that by coating a glass tube having the usual electrodes with afluorescent powder, filling the tube with neon gas and adding a fewdrops of mercury we get excellent results. The tube preferably extendsalmost the entire length of the show case so as to illuminate the entirecase and contents evenly. The faces l and H of the refiector 4 areproperly polished, plated, or prepared to reflect the light from thetube 8 whereby substantially the entire light given oiT by this tube isdirected on the contents of the show case, such as the cigar boxes 12.The tube is held in the reflector by a plurality of suitable insulatedsupports l3 extending inwardly from the bracket 4. Each end of the tubeis provided with an electrode suitably connected with one of the cablesor wires 7. The lower edge l of the bracket may be bent over to providea conduit for housing the wire H for attachment to the end of the tubeopposite the conduit 8. If desired, another conduit for housing the wirel may be laid in the base and extend up the other end of the case 3.

In the top of the reflector bracket i are cut-out portions 54. Thesecut-out portions may be of varied sizes and shapes as shown. Shelf orledge portion In, adapted to house advertising plate ll is suitablysecured to the bracket and is provided with cut-out portions l5 ofwhatever shape desired. The portion in may be an enlargement of thebracket or may be suitably attached thereto. This advertising plate isinlaid in the opening l4 and is preferably of glass or other transparenttranslucent material and has placed on either its top or bottom a sheetl8 containing advertising material 20. If desired, the sheet it may beplaced between two sheets of glass. This sheet 18 may be a fabric. suchas silk. screen, decalco- "mania, lithographic print or the like, whichis aflixed to the plate as by suitable transparent adhesive, theadvertising material being so arranged on the sheet as to be directlyover the opening 55 in the shelf IE whereby the light from the tube 8will illuminate the advertising material to attract the eye of thepurchaser at the show case. If desired. the plate may be opaque with atransparent advertisement embossed thereon. In fact our inventioncomprehends any plate or the like adapted to bear a transparent ortranslucent advertisement or notice thereon which may be illuminated bythe source of light in the show case. As shown, the advertisements orreading matter may be on the top of the bracket and show case and theremay be one or a plurality of these outout portions with theiradvertising material therein. If desired, however, the advertisementsmay be placed in the front of the bracket as shown at 2 l. Thefluorescent powder may be any of those used commercially for suchpurposes such as tungstate 0r silicate crystals either alone or mixedtogether.

It is also apparent that our novel bracket with. its advertisements maybe used for supporting filament bulbs where the merchandise in the showcase will not be damaged by the heat given off thereby.

Having disclosed the invention. we claim:

1. In an illuminating and advertising device for a show case, a gaseousilluminating tube giving off a cold light, a reflector bracket forsupporting said tube and reflecting the light therefrom into the showcase, and cut-out portions in said bracket and containing advertisingmatter illuminated by the tube.

2. In an illuminating and advertising device for a show case, areflector bracket in said show case, a gaseous illuminating tube givingoff a cold light for illuminating the contents of the show case andsupported in the bracket, a light transmitting plate containing anadvertisement, means for holding the plate in the bracket, and cut-outportions in the bracket and adjacent the plate and so constructed andarranged that the light from the tube will project therethrough toilluminate the advertisement.

3. In an illuminating and advertising device for a show case, areflector bracket in said show case, a light source for illuminating thecontents of the show case and supported in the bracket, a lighttransmitting plate containing an advertisement, means for holding theplate in the bracket, and cut-out portions in the bracket and adjacentthe plate and so constructed and arranged that the light from the tubewill project therethrough to illuminate the advertisement.

4. In an illuminating and advertising device for a show case, areflector bracket in said show case, a gaseous illuminating tube givingoii a cold light for illuminating the contents of the show case andsupported in the bracket, a shelf in. the bracket, a light transmittingplate in the shelf, an advertisement on said plate, and cut-out portionsin the bracket and adjacent the plate so constructed and arranged thatthe light from the tube will project therethrough to illuminate theadvertisement.

5. In an illuminating and advertising device for a show case, areflector bracket in said show case, a gaseous illuminating tube givingoff a cold light for illuminating the contents of the show case andsupported in the bracket. a light transmitting plate in the bracket, adecalcomania on the plate. and cut-out portions in the bracket andadjacent the plate so constructed and arranged that the light from thetube will projec therethrough and illuminate the advertisement.

6. In an illuminating and advertising device for a show case. areflector bracket in said show case, a gaseous illuminating tube givingoff a cold light for illuminating the contents of the show case andsupported in the bracket, a light transmitting plate in the bracket. afabric screen containing an advertisement on the plate, and cutoutportions in the bracket and adjacent the plate so constructed andarranged that the light from the tube will project therethrough andilluminate the advertisement.

7. In an illuminating and advertising device for a show case, areflector bracket in said show case, a gaseous illuminating tube givingoff a cold light for illuminating the contents of the show case andsupported in the bracket, a light transmitting plate in the bracket, aprint containing an advertisement on the plate, and cut-out portions inthe bracket and adjacent the plate so constructed and arranged that thelight from. the tube will project therethrough and illuminate theadvertisement.

JOHN T. PU'INAM. EDWARD G. SHURE.

